October's Fall "Bike Ride" to the Conservatory Gardens . . . And Beyond!

When  Brother Todd McKenna sent the word and pictures of the Fall colors in the Conservatory Gardens in Central Park, I just knew we had to Get up there to see them!! And viola, an idea for yet another Bike Ride in Central Park was born!! And who better to "share this experience" with but the Heideman's!! They are always game for these kinds of activities!! YES!! THEY SAID--AND OFF WE WENT!!

L to R: Elder Ron Mumford, Sister Carol Mumford, Sister Barbara Heideman & Elder Kent Heideman

This is one of my favorite fountains in all of Central Park!!

These flowers were such a "picture" of color and BUTTERFLIES--I coulld not decide which "grouping" I liked best--so I am posting ALL OF THEM ( see the others below)

 

I wish you could see the Butterflies!!

This is just "proof" I WAS there! (But having my picture taken without my sunglasses on--proved to be "too painful" ) 

 

We are in front of the Emily Mumford Gate to the Conservatory Gardens, North entrance 

Her "pose" is a side portrait--so we decided to follow suit.

  

Ron and Carol on the steps of the Soldiers and Sailors monument--near Hudson River Parkway. 

This is along the Hudson River Parkway--a very large monument called

The Soldi ers and Sailors Monument--in honor of those who fought in . . . 

THE CIVIL WAR--who would have thought?! 

It is very impressive!! 

Very "fall-looking" maple tree 

This plaque is in front of the Soldiers and Sailors monument 

Barbara and Kent Heideman on the steps of the S & S monument 

On our bikes down by the Hudson Parkway

Barb and Kent Heideman on their bikes 

This is the Pier One Cafe--also down on the Hudson River Parkway

It has been Barbara's and Carol's desire (unbeknownst to each other)  to stop and eat here before it's "closed up" for the Season!  So. . . 

We stopped and had a bite-- the food combined with our peaceful surroundings

--made for a "memory maker" for sure!!  

It was sure a FUN bike ride--until we realized we had only a short time left to get our bikes "back" to the Rental place outside Central Park on about 62nd Street. Boy, we had to hurry from the Hudson River clear up to Central Park Avenue West and 60th Street--doing Carol's favorite thing--

WEAVING THRU TRAFFIC--NOT!!! 

It just about "ruined" the day--but then Carol "recovered"  and didn't let it!! 

We are so glad that we "captured" that day as the weather took a cold turn and we're not sure we would have found another P-Day to enjoy the Gardens, the Bike Ride and the friendship of the Heidemans

Another"happening" in October had to do with the Youth Sunday School class in the Rego Park 1st Ward in Queens, NY --the Ward we were assigned by our Temple President ( in discussion with the
Woodside NY Stake President Glass)  to attend since we arrived on our Mission in March 2016.  We have loved this calling and this great group of youth that we have taught almost every Sunday  that   we have been on our Mission!! As a "General Conference challenge" we asked each of those students in our class to listen to at least one session of General Conference  the weekend of Sept 30-Oct 1, 2017--and try to come to our class the next Sunday with a question or two to try to "Stump the Class" . While we're not sure if they watched the Sessions--we did see them study the Conference Summaries with great interest and we had a wonderful "Contest and Discussion" with all in attendance participating. We've been wanting to do an activity with them--so we promised a "Fried Chicken and Pie" activity to be held on their Activity Night on the next Friday in October.  So it was on Oct 19th Ron and I left the Temple at the completion of our shift and hurried out to Queens to this huge mall with a huge Food Court in the lower level to KFC and purchased several small buckets of fried chicken and Chicken tenders. With  the pies that Carol had made and the chocolate cake  and cans of whipped cream we had "trailed from our apartment " in Manhattan--we made it to the Rego Park chapel close to the 7:30 pm time we had promised and found some of our class waiting for us. We were disappointed there weren't more kids--some had come and had to leave--but we did enjoy those who were there and the few"extras" who wandered in as they heard there was food!!

In the kitchen of the chapel with ( from L to R):

Eric Sanchez, "Kevin", Cameron Bird, Jeremiah McClain  (tall one) and Jamal McClain and 

In front Alyssa ( ?) Sister and Elder Mumford

( Anna, Alyssa's mom, is taking the picture) 

Another angle of this Class Activity 

We know they enjoyed the Chicken and the chocolate cake (and the canned cream) 

But I think the only one who really enjoyed the pie was Bishop Lindstrom, whom we had invited to join us if he could. I kind of think pie is a Western sort of dessert--and I was "disappointed" that I had put so much time and effort into something that the kids not only did not appreciate--but DIDN't even LIKE!!  But so glad we had as many come as we did. 

Another of the Activities we were a part of  was Oct 29th--we had a "Missionary  Activity" in Pres & Sister Benches' apartment--with Sister Marianne Ciccotelli and her "Quilts for Refugees" project that she told us about and shared her "Quilt Legacy" with all gathered together. We then had a chance to take a small quilt to "tie" on our own and return.

AND WE DID IT!! 

Carol, Ron and Barbara Heideman with the Quilt tied and ready to be returned!! 

That same night--we hurried over to THE Lincoln Center ( David Gelffen Hall) to the

  WEST POINT 200 Year Gala Band and Glee Club Concert

This Concert celebrated the 200 years that the West Point Band has been a part of this historic Military icon along the Hudson River in the great State of New York.

It was AMAZING!! Oh so stirring and patriotic!! Truly we left that evening so proud to be an AMERICAN!! 

It was POURING RAIN WHEN WE CAME OVER TO THE CONCERT--BUT IT WAS EVEN WORSE WHEN WE CAME OUT!! We had a dear Sister Girdansky whom we had to help get to the Subway so she could get down to Grand Central Station to catch a train back to New Jersey. She seemed a bit "disoriented" and we really wanted to call a cab for her--but she would not hear if it--(fiercely independent) but appreciated us getting her to the right Subway. We did remember her in our prayers that night asking for a safe trip home for her. 

So--October was FULL of many things to do--as well as our Service each day in the Temple. 

Oh how we love our Mission!!

An evening with Marcos and Lamia Ghazal--our friends from Lebanon

We had a wonderful night on Oct 4, 2017, when it was our pleasure to go up to Inwood up near Washington Heights,(close to the Bronx) to visit and be treated to dinner in the home of Marcos and Lamia Ghazal. Talk about gracious and hospitable!!--this family really could teach us all some great lessons on how to make your Company feel so warm and welcomed!! For one evening we truly felt "transported" to Lebanon and were treated to the nicest meal EVER!! The table was a PICTURE from Better Homes & Gardens--it was incredible, to say the least!! Lamia, I am sure, had spent her entire day, COOKING!!  It was a cacophony of flavors, for sure!! 

L to R ( around the table): Lamia Ghazal, Nadia Ghazal (their daughter, who is seated),  Marcos' sister, (who is staying with them to recover from hernia surgery)  Sister Barbara Heideman, Elder Kent Heideman, Sister Kathy Nabors, Elder Ron Mumford and Sister Carol Mumford

Isn't that the most beautiful dish of hummus you've ever seen!! And it tasted even more delectable than it looked!! Truly one of my FAVORITES!!

Another view of the "spread of food" we were treated to that evening!!  Lamia had truly "outdone" 

herself that day and I'm sure and we were the "WINNERS!"

From L to R around the table again: Sister Kathy Nabors, Elder Ron and Sister Carol Mumford, Lamia and Marcos Ghazal, Nadia Ghazal and Sister Barbara Heideman ( Elder H is taking the pic)

We were invited along with Kent and Barbara Heideman who are also Temple Missionaries with us in the Manhattan Temple--and Sister Kathy Nabors, who is one of two Single Sister Missionaries, also serving in the Manhattan Temple. The Heidemans were the initial contacts to Marcos Ghazal. Marcos is an Uber Driver who picked up the Heideman's by mistake one night at the JFK AIRPORT when they returned from a short trip home in February of 2017!!. They began talking and introducing him to their "reason for being in New York City" which really piqued his interest. He is a Christian and along with his wife, Lamia, they are very well-read and conversant in/of the history and traditions of religions in Lebanon and Jordan. We have had them in our apartment for dinner as well as we've been to a gathering for them in the Heidenans' apartment and have enjoyed ALL of our time together!! Lamia is especially interested in family and was so "taken" by my "Grandchildren Are A  Blessing from Heaven" display, made possible by Kate and Hollie Mumford, that I love so much and have received so many compliments on!!

Lamia Ghazal could not believe that ALL OF THESE CUTIES were my (our) Grands!! She truly called me "so richly blessed" and I feel that one of the richest compliments I have ever received. 

I truly felt her "stand-offishness" literally melt away as she gazed upon those grandchildren's pictures and gave me a warm hug!!  She was surprised and pleased that we loved family so much! 

We have enjoyed all the times we have  spent with this wonderful couple as we have tried to share our feelings about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our testimonies of it by our example and discussions of some of our beliefs.  Perhaps we have planted "seeds" that may have fallen on fertile soil and will sink into the "furrows" of friendship and love  that we have  tried to make. Thanks, Heideman's, for letting us share in this experience!!

Our most excellent visit from . . . Bryce and Lissa Mumford--OCTOBER 11-19 , 2017

The "long awaited" visit from Bryce and Lissa happened on October 11-19th and it was great!! When Bryce announced his trip to us back in the end of Aug or so--I immediately began to "worry" about him getting sick and ending up in the hospital, AGAIN! That seems to have been his pattern the last little while-- as he has been in the hospital 4 Times since the beginning of 2017!! So arrangements for dialysis were one of the components that had to be "nailed down" before they could even think about boarding a plane. Finally just a week or so before they came, Columbia Medical Center said their Dialysis Center had room to take him. Whew!! So they arrived on Wednesday, October 11th in the late afternoon and Lissa's good friend from Missouri, Mitch Gorman, (who now lives in NYC with his cutest wife, Elizabeth Pond Gorman, doing his Surgical Residency at a hospital in the Bronx)--, picked them up at the airport and treated them to good food and fantastic views of NY from across the River in New Jersey.

 

Thanks, Mitch for getting them to Manhattan, in style!!

Their visit was an "Anniversary Surprise" for Lissa--but not really, as she found out by mistake after it was "discussed" in a message between Bryce and Missy. Oops!! But it was still such a great trip for

her and so deserved!!

We planned things to do with them, they did things on their own, Lissa did things while Bryce was at his dialysis appointments( he had to do it 4 times while here) and then on Monday, Oct 16th, Lissa's cousin Cheyenne and her husband Matt Harris, joined them for 3 more days of celebrating! They also stayed in our apartment and tho' we were a bit cramped, things turned out so well. (Matt is a Big Guy--but he figured out just the right place for the AirBed that was allotted to him--and it worked GREAT!! Thanks to our Missionary Harris (John & Shelly) friends--it's a great bed!!)  So, all in all, it was a great visit. Pretty sure we "wore" Bryce out as he was "compweetwy tototed out" after some of their adventures!! Here are some of the HIGHLIGHTS of that time here:

If you can only do ONE Broadway show--we picked a "MOST EXCELLENT ONE"

ANASTASIA 

The stage was incredible 

Carol, Bryce and Lissa Mumford

 
         The "entire cast" on stage at the end of the show at Curtain Call --absolutely WONDERFUL!!

Visiting the 9/11 Museum and Reflecting Pools

A "View from the Top"  One World Observatory

Above--from inside the AMNH in front of one of the dioramas  AND

Below--From the M & M Store in Times Square 

Outside Ellen's Stardust Diner

Having a Great Time together. 

At Groms with some of the Best Gelato . . .  In America

Matt  Harris  doing the "Frozen dance" inside Groms 

Ron is really "into" his gelato 

Matt and Cheyenne Harris with Lissa Mumford in front

Enjoying the "whole experience" at Ellen's Stardust Diner

L to R around the table-- Lissa Mumford, Cheyenne and Matt Harris, Ron Mumford, Carol Mumford and Bryce Mumford 

Bryce and Lissa by the Bethesda Fountain 

In Central Park 

OTHER PICS TAKEN ON OUR "BIKE RIDE IN THE PARK": 

Ron and the Cougar that he "found" just for Bryce

We chose a most "excellent day" to rent bikes and ride the bike path in Central Park. It was so much fun and was something Bryce could do easier than walking. 

Ron and Carol in front of the gate located at the northern end of "the" Park!! 

What's the chance of getting this pic of 2 "live" models on the wall 

Across the lake looking at Manhattan

Bryce and Lissa with the lake (or the Jacqueline Onassis Reservoir, as it referred to in the Central Park app) in the background. It was built in the 1860s as a temporary water supply for NYC, while the City's water was shut down each year for repairs. This reservoir has a "1.58-mile running track" around it.

Lissa, Carol, Ron and Bryce Mumford

Bryce and Lissa "found" Balto in the Park for their kids!! Pierce, Jane and Owen LOVE the story of Balto and how he saved the day for the village in Alaska that needed the medicine he delivered to them--when nobody else could do it!! 

Bryce on his bike--and "lovin' it --NOT!!

Lissa with the 110th Street Bridge in the Park 

Playing games with Lissa,  Mitch and Elizabeth Gorman, Bryce, Ron and Carol Mumford 

In our New York apartment 

Lissa and Bryce we so-o enjoyed your visit and were so blest that you could come to New York City 

And find out for yourself that New York City is truly the "City that never sleeps" and truly is "the Big  🍎Apple"!! AND IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO CELEBRATE YOUR

 9th Anniversary!! CONGRATULATIONS!!

We have so enjoyed every visit from our family and so happy that ALL the kids could come either alone, as couples, or with one, two or ALL their kids !! 

WE HAVE LOVED IT AND ENJOYED SEEING EVERYONE ONE OF YOU!!